Red Wings hold on to beat Avalanche 3-2

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Detroit Red Wings right wing Jordin Tootoo (22) tries to maintain control of the puck against Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson (6) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, April 1, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Red Wings right wing Jordin Tootoo (22) tries to maintain control of the puck against Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson (6) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, April 1, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) (/ AP)

LARRY LAGE, AP Hockey Writer

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Colorado Avalanche right wing Aaron Palushaj, right, tries to get a shot against Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35) as Colorado Avalanche left wing Jamie McGinn, left, watches in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, April 1, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Colorado Avalanche right wing Aaron Palushaj, right, tries to get a shot against Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35) as Colorado Avalanche left wing Jamie McGinn, left, watches in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, April 1, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) (/ AP)

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Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jakub Kindl (4) tries to take the puck from Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene (9) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, April 1, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jakub Kindl (4) tries to take the puck from Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene (9) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, April 1, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) (/ AP)

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Detroit Red Wings right wing Daniel Cleary (11) gets a hug from left wing Johan Franzen, of Sweden, after scoring on Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov (1), of Russia, in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, April 1, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Red Wings right wing Daniel Cleary (11) gets a hug from left wing Johan Franzen, of Sweden, after scoring on Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov (1), of Russia, in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, April 1, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) (/ AP)

Justin Abdelkader scored late in the first period, Danny Cleary put Detroit ahead by two at 6:28 of the second and Brunner had a one-timer a few minutes later.

The Red Wings, coming off a 7-1 loss to Chicago, allowed a 3-0 lead to turn into a one-goal game.

Colorado avoided a shutout with a power-play goal at 14:08 of the third period when Jamie McGinn's backhander from between the circles sailed over a sprawling Howard. Avalanche forward Cody McLeod checked Detroit defenseman Brendan Smith into Howard, who couldn't get off the ice in time to get in a position to stop McGinn's shot.

Colorado pulled goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who had replaced Semyon Varlamov, and the extra skater paid off. Matt Duchene scored to make it 3-2 with 1:18 left, but Howard's glove save with 7 seconds left prevented PA Parenteau from sending it to overtime.

Howard finished with 22 saves for Detroit, which had lost two straight.

The Avs are tied with Florida for the fewest points in the NHL and have lost nine of their last 11 games.

Varlamov, coming off a 1-0 shutout win over Nashville, gave up two goals on four shots in the pivotal second period and didn't play in the third period after making 10 saves. Giguere stopped each of the seven shots he faced.

Against the Blackhawks on Sunday, Howard gave up four goals on 14 shots.

Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg missed his second straight game with a groin injury and is day-to-day.

Abdelkader hit a hip-high rebound out of the air and into the net to put the Red Wings up 1-0 with 4:03 left in the first period. It was his seventh point in eight games but his first since his first three-goal, four-point game March 22 against Anaheim.

Cleary scored on a power play from the front of the crease off a behind-the-net pass from Johan Franzen, who also assisted on the first goal.

Brunner's 11th goal was his first since Feb. 24, when he had two goals and four points against Vancouver. The 27-year-old, first-year player is too old to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie, but he has been a key player for the rebuilding Red Wings.

NOTES: Detroit D Carlo Colaiacovo, who had been out with an injured left shoulder, played for the first time since Jan. 21 and for just the third time with the team. ...The Avs are 4-11-1 since entering March with a .500 record. ... The Red Wings improved to 12-5-1 in back-to-back games, and 6-2-1 in the second game when they've played on consecutive days.